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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29336919">21st century (dead) teen rebellion</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/starblessed/pseuds/thessalonike'>thessalonike (starblessed)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Julie and The Phantoms (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Based on the News, Flirting, Gen, M/M, Post-Canon, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Vandalism</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 12:06:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,117</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29336919</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/starblessed/pseuds/thessalonike</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“We’re making Hollywood history!” Luke crows, head tossed back in the moonlight. Way back at Sunset Curve’s very first band meeting, he said the exact same thing.</p><p>Somehow, Alex never thought <i>vandalizing the Hollywood sign</i> was what he had in mind.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alex Mercer &amp; Luke Patterson &amp; Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), Alex Mercer/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>145</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>21st century (dead) teen rebellion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If Alex knew exactly how he gets talked into half the things he does, he’d know how to avoid them, and his life would be so much easier.</p><p>Since the day they entered his life — thirty years ago, give or take a few decades in a pitch-black void — Luke and Reggie have never been about making his life easy. They’re a double threat. Luke, with his impossible powers of persuasion; Reggie, with the puppy eyes you feel like a monster for letting down; and their combined enthusiasm, enough to generate electricity for a small city.</p><p>When they get an idea in their heads, Luke and Reggie are dangerous. Alex has no idea how they’re both his best friends.</p><p>“I’m so glad to know <em> exactly </em> what we’d all be getting arrested for — if, you know, ghosts could get arrested.” His sneakered feet make no sound over twigs and dead leaves as he trudges up the hill, following his friends’ footsteps. “But come on, what's the point of this?”</p><p>“Funny you think there needs to be a point,” Luke replies, not looking back at him. “Aside from it being <em> awesome!” </em></p><p>“The most badass prank anyone’s ever pulled, in the history of Hollywood,” Reggie chimes in, a few steps ahead of the group — he’s practically bounding up the hill. “And we <em> can </em> pull it off, because we’re that cool.”</p><p>“And that dead,” adds Willie, from his spot at Alex’s side. “Don’t forget.”</p><p>Reggie sounds proud of them all for being detached from the mortal coil when he replies, <em> “Never!” </em></p><p>There’s another mystery, maybe the biggest one of tonight — why Willie’s going along with all this. Alex trusts his own judgement. He could maybe hold out against Luke and Reggie’s dumbassery, <em> maybe</em>, if they’re operating on a particular level of stupid... but the second Willie jumped at the idea, he knew he was doomed. All in, or all out... and what’s he supposed to do, leave Willie to hang out with his friends? Without him? Just some good ol’ Luke, Reggie, and Willie bonding time, while Alex sits alone in the studio polishing his drumsticks?</p><p>Not in his lifetime. Or... deathtime. </p><p>Alex’s gaze turns on Willie, seeking some kind of ally in the ridiculousness of the situation... but Willie’s dark eyes sparkle in the moonlight, and the grin on his lips almost glows. When he catches Alex’s gaze, his shoulder brushes against his, nudging then both forward.</p><p>“C’mon, dude, this is fun!”</p><p>“That’s a big word,” Alex replies, shaking his head. </p><p>“For a big stunt,” Willie retorts. “Think of it! The entire city’s going to wake up to this. We’re going to get in the papers — on the Internet! on Twitter! — and everyone will be trying to figure out how we did it!”</p><p>“We’re making Hollywood history!” Luke crows, head tossed back in the moonlight. Back when he pitched that same idea at Sunset Curve’s first band meeting, somehow Alex didn’t think <em> this </em> was what he had in mind.</p><p>“Fine,” he sighs. A stick catches him at the ankle, and he almost trips; Willie’s steadying grip on his arm is the only thing that saves him. When Alex straightens up, his jaw is tighter than ever. “But really. Come on. <em> Hollyboob? </em> Isn’t that just a <em> little </em> lowbrow?”</p><p>Luke and Reggie stop, and turn blank stares on him at the exact same time. Alex is reminded, yet again, that his best friends are two straight teenage boys.</p><p>(Well... “straight”, quotation marks intended.  They’re definitely into girls — like, <em> really </em> into girls — and that’s close enough.)</p><p>“This is a bad time to be making suggestions, bro,” Luke says flatly.</p><p>“Yeah!” Reggie hefts the giant, rolled up tarp in his arms. “You could’ve said something before we <em> made </em> this thing!”</p><p>“And bankrupted Party City,” Luke adds. They collectively grimace at yet another ghostly misadventure they can never tell Julie about… for their own safety. Singing on the beach is one thing; poofing out of a store with a shopping cart full of spray paint cans is another. </p><p>(“It’s not shoplifting if we’re dead!” Reggie insisted, but his logic is crooked at best.)</p><p>“Would me saying anything really have stopped you?” demands Alex.</p><p>“Well, no, of course not! But we value your opinions, and appreciate your input!”</p><p>“My input is usually, ‘don’t get arrested, guys, don’t get killed, guys’. And look where we are now!” Alex spreads his arms wide. “<em> Literally dead, </em> and doing something we probably deserve to get arrested for!”</p><p>“Which is where the dead thing comes in handy!”</p><p>Willie’s gaze darts between the bickering bandmates, following their exchange like a game of ping-pong. Alex doesn’t have the time to be embarrassed, or even wonder how this must look to him. When Willie suddenly claps his hands, it shatters the argument’s rhythm; all eyes turn to him.</p><p>“You guys, we’re here now! We <em> have </em> to do this thing!” He’s grinning as he says it, so wide that <em> Alex’s </em> cheeks almost hurt. As always, Willie’s joy is infectious. Luke grins right back, while Reggie bounces under the weight of the giant tarp… and for the eightieth time tonight, Alex realizes what a terrible idea it was to bring Willie and the band together.</p><p>Against them all, he’s helpless. He can’t even put up a fight.</p><p>Willie catches his eye as they all start walking again. Maybe Alex is losing it — or his night vision is just <em> that </em> bad — but through the darkness, he swears Willie winks at him.</p><p>Cheeks burning, Alex stares straight ahead, and focuses on walking.</p><p>By the time they finally make it to the sign, his muscles are burning. Luke is panting, and Reggie looks ready to drop — even though <em> they </em> were the ones who insisted on walking up the hill, after poofing past the security gates, <em> “for the experience”. </em> The guys collapse at the base of the sign, falling flat in the grass and splaying their arms wide. Getting here is it’s own victory, Alex guesses. As he settles down in front of the giant ‘W’, folding his legs in front of him, he heaves a deep sigh.</p><p>Willie flops down in the grass beside him. He doesn’t speak, so Alex feels no need to. It’s enough to simply look down — past the woods, past the fences and barriers — onto the city of Hollywood, illuminated in living color so far below. Standing on the streets, it all feels so big. You don’t think about how tiny it all really is, how insignificant… but <em> everything </em> feels that way from a distance. Life itself is a small thing, when you’re looking down on it from the top of a really big hill.</p><p>Willie’s nudges his shoulder gently, drawing Alex’s attention. “See? I told you it was worth coming.”</p><p>He’s smiling even now, and Alex can’t help smiling back. “That’s why we’re up here, right? The view.”</p><p>“Well, it doesn’t hurt.” Willie leans back in the grass, crossing both arms behind his head. His eyes flutter shut. With the moonlight reflected on his face, casting shadows across his cheeks and wrapping him in spidersilk glow, Alex can’t look away.</p><p>“Hey,” Willie says after a minute, eyes still shut. “Save your energy. I’m gonna need your help with something.”</p><p>Alex’s brow arches. “With what?”</p><p>“You’ll see.”</p><p>It’s not like Willie to be cryptic. He waits a moment, fully expecting <em> something </em> else… but when nothing comes, Alex nudges Willie’s calf with a sneakered foot. “With <em> what? </em> Come on.”</p><p>Willie’s eyes slip open, and lock on him. If Alex didn’t know him so well, he’d call that look <em> innocent </em>. Not fooled, he nudges him again, and Willie chuckles.</p><p>“Give it a few minutes,” he murmurs... and before Alex can push the question any more, he feels a warm hand slip over his own. That does him in. He couldn’t interrogate anymore, even if he wanted to. Willie’s touch has a tranquilizing effect on his overactive mind. It washes over his whole body, like waves at low tide. Alex sinks back into the grass as Willie’s hand presses down on him… and slowly, his own hand turns, until their fingers are interlocked.</p><p>The moon is bright tonight, and the stars are beautiful… especially reflected in Willie’s eyes.</p><p>He’s faintly aware of Luke and Reggie finally getting to work. Their struggle to unfurl the banner is loud and colorful, as is the shriek when Reggie almost fumbles backwards down the hill. Alex has half a mind to help, just to make sure the two idiots don’t smother themselves to (yet another) death… but that would mean tearing himself away from Willie. Honestly, he’s a great friend, but not <em> that </em> great.</p><p>After what seems like ages, he hears the sound of his friends poofing — <em> so they finally figured out a strategy? </em> — and, seconds later, the massive banner unfurling. Alex pushes himself up in the grass, followed closely by Willie. When they turn, Luke is standing forty-five feet up, towering over the city. From the top of the giant ‘W’— which now wears the deceptive mask of a spraypaint ‘B’ — he may as well be king of Hollywood. Luke’s arms are spread wide, grin radiant; each victorious hoot rings down the mountain. As the banner flutters in the wind, Reggie suddenly poofs back to earth, and begins the frantic business of trying to pin it down at the bottom.</p><p>Willie exchanges a glance with him. Without a clue as to what’s happening, Alex follows him blind.</p><p>He only <em> really </em> figures it out when they reach the end of the sign — the iconic ‘D’, which Reggie and Luke planned on adding a giant piece of white cardboard to — and Alex sees what Willie’s holding.</p><p>“You’re kidding.” He stops in his tracks. “Can — can we — can we do that? Is that allowed? Is that — <em> possible?” </em></p><p>Willie glances around. “Who’s here to stop us?”</p><p>“But that’s <em> so much </em> —“ He cuts himself off before his voice can pitch high. Willie’s better off thinking him a coward than a chipmunk… but both ideas leave an awful itch under Alex’s skin.</p><p>Willie arches an eyebrow, and nods his head, beckoning him. “We can do it,” he declares, “if we work together.”</p><p>For the hundredth time today, Alex finds himself helpless in the face of persuasion, whenever Willie’s involved.</p><p>With a sigh, he steps forward. His nod is short and decisive. “Okay,” he declares, grabbing hold. “Let’s do this.”</p>
<hr/><p>So, the prank doesn’t turn out <em> exactly </em> as they planned it.</p><p>“I don’t believe this!” Luke likes to yell at the TV as though it can hear him. That’s not a new thing; he’s been doing it since the nineties, and death can’t change old habits. He hops around the Molinas’ coffee table, waving his arms wildly, and nearly trips over a pair of Carlos’s shoes. “This wasn’t even our plan! We didn’t even think of it!”</p><p>Reggie humms, drawing out the noise into a high-pitched squeak. “We’re still the ones who pulled it off, though.”</p><p>“We <em> more </em> than pulled it off! Dude —“ Alex swings his arm again towards the TV, where their massive ‘B’ banner is still waving, on national news. “We pulled off the crime of the century!”</p><p>Alex quickly glances over his shoulder, even though he knows Julie can’t hear them from all the way at school. It’s an excuse not to look his friends in the eye, and let them see his grin.</p><p>Reggie leans over and elbows Alex in the ribs. “Okay, come on! You gotta tell us. What’d you do with it?”</p><p>“Do with what? I don’t know what you —“</p><p>“The ‘D’, man! Where did you and Willie put the ‘D’?”</p><p>Alex turns to him, wide-eyed. “Reginald, I am scandalized.”</p><p>Reggie’s mouth goes wide as a dinner plate. His cheeks flame bright pink, and his head drops back against the couch with a groan. Luke is still hopping in front of the TV, too captivated by the news to pay attention to anything else.</p><p>“Look at it!” he exclaims, hand passing straight through the screen as he gestures wildly towards it. “Just — just look!”</p><p>“Yeah, man, we all see it. We were <em> there </em>.”</p><p>Luke slowly sinks to his knees in front of the TV, shoulders quaking with silent laughter. “We’re geniuses,” he declares, shaking his head. “Willie’s a genius.”</p><p>Alex bites back a grin, and thinks of the giant ‘D’ — proudly planted on the roof of the Hollywood Ghost Club, just waiting for the cops to knock on Caleb’s door to reclaim it. That was Alex’s idea, actually, but Willie was all on board. Petty revenge always tastes the sweetest.</p><p>The infamous sign now proudly beams “<em> HOLLYBOO </em>” down on the city… and a handful of Hollywood’s ghosts couldn’t be more pleased with themselves.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>okay, so I saw that one news story, immediately thought “that seems like a dumbass teenage boy thing to do” and then just said “huh”</p><p>Find me on tumblr at <a href="https://julies-butterflies.tumblr.com/">julies-butterflies</a>!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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